We're exploring the complex relationship between God and the Israelites during the time of the judges. The story of Samuel's unexpected rise to priesthood despite not being a Levite highlights God's willingness to bend the rules when necessary to move the story forward. We see that God is open to dialogue and consistently imagines a reality unbounded by our limited expectations. Ultimately, we are reminded that God is not interested in ruthless aggression or war, even from his chosen people. God would rather lose and appear foolish than support our endless pursuits of violence.

In the sermon, Bobbi discusses the leadership transition in ancient Israel, focusing on Samuel's story in 1 Samuel 1-4. We get the highlights of the contrasting characters: bad boy Samson from Judges and good boy Samuel, tracing how the latter becomes a prophet. We also explore themes of faithfulness, human agency, and divine intervention, using Hannah's story of barrenness. Hannah's faith and strength point us to the broader themes of perseverance and hearing God's call during times of change.

This week, we explore the complex narrative of Samson in the Book of Judges, a story of strength, weakness, and hope. Samson's life is meant to challenge Israel by reflecting its chaotic state and relationship with God, but also it is meant to challenge us, asking how we can embody a strength that heals.

This sermon explores the stories of two unique judges, Shamgar and Deborah, in the Book of Judges. It highlights how their stories expand the narrative of salvation and leadership, challenging the Israelites' preconceived notions. The sermon suggests that even in the midst of the conquest of Canaan, there are hints that salvation and leadership can come from unexpected sources, such as a Canaanite warrior (Shamgar) and a woman (Deborah). The story of Jael, a foreign woman who defeats Sisera, further emphasizes this point. While the violence in these stories is not celebrated, the sermon points out that they may be part of a larger journey towards peace and a more inclusive understanding of God's plan.

At Worship Night you are invited to pause and take a moment to find rest in the presence of God. This is an extended space for our community to gather for singing, prayer, and to share communion together. We want to catch our spiritual breath, fill our lungs with hope and praise, and find ourselves renewed in the presence of God. Our theme we will explore together is "A Worshipping Community", what it truly means to be people joined together in worship. Join us as we journey through this theme together.

Listen in as we grapple with the challenging depictions of divine violence in the Hebrew scriptures, contrasted with Jesus' message of grace and love. We delve into how these ancient texts can be reinterpreted through the compassionate lens of Jesus' life, steering clear of projecting our biases onto the divine. With insights from Robert Allen Warrior's analysis on the implications of conquest narratives for indigenous peoples, this conversation urges a thoughtful examination of our spiritual evolution and the consequences of our interpretations.

Join in as we wrap up our journey through the multifaceted landscapes of joy. In this touching conclusion, we traverse the delicate balance between the warmth of friendship and the cold touch of loss. Listen in as I recount the poignant tale of my dog Cedar's passing and the innocent, yet profound comfort offered by my young daughter. Through her eyes, we glimpse the intricate tapestry of emotions that joy weaves into our lives. Together, we'll explore the rich linguistic ties between joy, grace, and gifts within biblical texts, and how these elements intertwine to support us even through the darkest of times.

Bobbi shares a story about praying to be better at banter and how, over time, she found herself engaging in joyful conversations that exceeded her expectations. Through these experiences, she came to see banter not just as witty exchanges but as a way to connect deeply with others and even with the divine. Bobbie sums up her learning like this: "I could have easily thought that banter wasn't for me – that I wasn't good at it, and I should just let it go. But there's stagnancy in staying comfortable in a story you think you know. No, it's better to find the edges of ourselves and to push past premature endings.”

This week, we discuss joy as a shared communal practice. We examine what informs the theology of the Psalms (using Psalm 33:1-5 as our pimary text) and how the Psalms, in their intent and art form, can instruct us in our search for and practice of joy.

Through the shadows of the Babylonian exile toward discovering unexpected moments of joy with the enigmatic prophet Ezekiel. We peel back the layers of history to understand how these dark times were pivotal for Jewish literature and self-reflection, fostering a rich soil from which the Hebrew scriptures grew. Listen in as we unravel Ezekiel's apocalyptic visions, and consider how catastrophic events can unexpectedly renew our sense of joy in body and soul.

In our series kickoff, we recount the story of Abraham, where a casual lunch on his porch becomes a divine encounter, reminding us that profound experiences often hide in plain sight. Reflect with us on the intimacy of this moment and the human elements that make such stories relatable. We discuss how Abraham's hospitality and Sarah's laughter exemplify faith and humanity's response to divine promises.

This week, we celebrate Easter and wrap up our series on the Gospel of Mark. We look at the forces at play in Jesus's trial and crucifixion, the women who needed to find their voice to proclaim the good news, and the invitational, circular way the gospel of Mark is structured to help us discover Jesus and meet him in the places we already know.

Here we ask our whys, and remember that God spared nothing to make all things new. That Jesus gave himself over to death to lead us into life. That in his final words Jesus revealed how God knows the language of our doubt and fear. Showing us the road to resurrection, dark as it may be. And we that we don’t have to walk it alone.

Today we look at how on the road to Jerusalem Jesus predicts his death twice more, and twice more his closest friends will miss the point. And hopefully spending time in that story will help us see what we often miss about the way of peace.

This week, we talk about Peter’s reaction to Jesus’ predictions of his own death, and how Jesus corrects the disciples’ misconceptions about the Messiah and encourages us to let go of our ideas and ideologies that prevent us from following his way.

This week we dive deeper into the Messianic secret to uncover that Jesus didn’t want to just tell his disciples who he was and what to believe, he wanted them to go through a slow process of coming to understand.

Today we settle into the realm of conflict, new perspectives, and what it means to defile one’s heart.

Today we talk about the miracle of Jesus walking on water as a continuation of the miracle of feeding the 5,000. The main point is that Mark wants to open our eyes to see the Divine presence with us not only in the miraculous but also in the mundane.